Updated On: 05 October, 2020 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
With the drive-in premiere of Khaali Peeli being sold out in Gurugram, makers contemplate increasing shows across the country

Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday in Khaali Peeli
A day after the makers launched a drive-in premiere of Khaali Peeli at the Backyard Sports Club in Gurugram on October 2, trade analyst Akshaye Rathi tweeted, "Khaali Peeli sold out at Gurgaon's drive-in cinema... People are happy to step out for recreation as long as safety protocols are in place. Pent-up demand for the big screen experience exists'' (sic). With the seven-month theatre shutdown having left a void in the entertainment market, the makers' experiment of drive-in theatres has received an overwhelming response, even though the Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday starrer simultaneously dropped on ZeePlex.
"With the shows being sold out, there are definite plans to explore the drive-in format, be it for a preview movie screening, or music concerts and stand-up comedy acts. We will screen Bollywood and regional blockbusters in other cities, in adherence with the new guidelines set by the central government, and the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA)," says Swaroop Banerjee, COO and business head, Zee Live. The team is currently zeroing in on the prospective cities.